Chapter 144: Strange Poison
After hearing Qi Shuo's words, Cheng Maoming couldn't help but bend down to look at the corpse.
The two bodies were placed side by side, and Qi Shuo was pointing at the blood-stained finger of the burly man.
Cheng Maoming was at a loss: "Where are the traces of poisoning that the prince mentioned?"
"Grand Commander, look at his nails."
The prisoner had been punished by having his nails nailed with bamboo sticks. His nails were turned up, and Cheng Maoming could only see a bloody mess.
"Here, there is a purple crescent-shaped spot." Qi Shuo pointed out the mark.
Cheng Maoming took a closer look and indeed saw a purple half-moon spot at the base of one of the fingernails. However, it was mixed in with the blurred flesh and blood, and if no one had pointed it out, it would have been completely invisible.
"The Grand Commander looked at this person's fingers again and saw the same purple half-moon spots."
Cheng Maoming looked at the other corpse and saw purple spots, which were even lighter in color than the spots at the base of the burly man's nails.
"What the hell is this?"
Qi Shuo stood up and said calmly, "This is a strange poison called Zi Xin. Once it enters the body and flows through the blood to the heart, it is very likely to cause cardiac arrest, thus achieving the purpose of killing people without anyone noticing."
"Is there such a poison?"
"This poison is extremely rare. It's normal that the Grand Commander hasn't heard of it."
Cheng Maoming looked suspicious: "How did the prince know this?"
In his impression, Prince Jing was just a weak and insignificant member of the royal family. Now it seems that he was wrong.
Qi Shuo hesitated for a moment before saying, "This kind of poison has appeared in the North before, so I have some knowledge of it by chance."
"Northland?" Cheng Maoming's eyes were a little complicated. "When the prince was in the Northland, he was still young, right?"
Qi Shuo smiled, "Ten years old isn't too young. The north is bitterly cold, and they have to face harassment and invasion from the Qi people. Children usually become sensible at an early age. Besides, this poison is so unique that its appearance once is enough to be remembered."
"So, this is a strange poison unique to the North?"
Qi Shuo looked at Cheng Maoming deeply and said, "The Grand Commander wouldn't doubt our Jingwang Mansion, would he?"
"Of course not, it's just that two important criminals died from this poison, and I know very little about this poison, so I have to ask a few more questions." Cheng Maoming said politely.
Qi Shuo knew that he had doubts in his heart, but he did not dwell on it. Instead, he brought the topic back to the two criminals: "Did they suffer the punishment of bamboo sticks today?"
Cheng Maoming nodded.
Qi Shuo squatted down again and looked at the finger of the criminal. "The characteristic of the purple letter poison is that it will leave a purple half-moon spot where it first enters. Because the spot is very light, it is often overlooked."
Cheng Maoming's eyes narrowed: "You mean, the poison entered through the criminal's fingers?"
Qi Shuo nodded slightly: "I guess the poison was smeared on the bamboo sticks used for execution."
Cheng Maoming's eyes were as cold as ice, terrifyingly cold.
The important criminal he had specifically instructed died in Jinlin Guard. He knew that something was wrong inside, so anyone who had contact with the two important criminals was taken into custody.
But those who were in charge of interrogation and torture were all people he trusted, and he really found it hard to believe that there was something wrong with any of them.
Cheng Maoming opened his mouth, his throat aching. "The two people who tortured him have been interrogated, but nothing has been revealed yet."
"Has the Grand Commander ever thought of a possibility?"
"Please speak, Prince." At this point, Cheng Maoming had to take Qi Shuo's words seriously.
"Those who had the opportunity to coat the bamboo sticks with poison were not only the executioners, but also the ones who presented the instruments of torture."
Cheng Maoming was stunned for a moment, then quickly showed a look of realization.
Prince Jing was right. The person who presented the torture instruments also had the opportunity to tamper with them, but because they had no direct contact with the prisoners, they were ignored.
"Thank you for your reminder, Your Highness." Cheng Maoming could no longer wait. "Your Highness, go have a cup of tea with Master Cheng first. I'll take care of things and then come over."
"The Grand Commander is busy first."
Qi Shuo was led to Cheng Shu by a Jinlin Guard.
Cheng Shu was stunned when he saw him: "Prince, you are also brought here?"
Qi Shuo sat down opposite him and explained with a smile: "Brother Cheng hasn't gone home yet, I'm worried, so I came to check on him."
"Master Cheng" was replaced by "Brother Cheng." Cheng Shu was so moved that he didn't even notice the change in address: "Prince, you're walking into a trap!"
It's all for him.
Prince Jing is enthusiastic and loyal, so he is determined to make friends with him.
Cheng Shu immediately looked at Qi Shuo with a more intimate look.
Qi Shuo: Such an intimate look is kind of scary.
The two young men were drinking tea in a harmonious atmosphere, but things were not so good on Cheng Maoming's side.
The Jinlin Guards who presented the torture instruments did not find out anything during the interrogation, and the person in charge of guarding the torture instruments disappeared.
The person in charge of guarding the torture instruments is an old man in his fifties. He is a non-staff member and usually has no presence in the Jinlin Guard.
Cheng Maoming was so angry that his hands were shaking: "What do you do for a living? You don't even know when someone disappears!"
A light laugh was heard: "Grand Commander, don't get yourself hurt by getting angry."
Cheng Maoming turned around suddenly and looked at the person coming.
The person who came over was a man in his early thirties, and it was his deputy Zhao Helin.
Looking at Zhao Helin with a smile on his face, Cheng Maoming couldn't help but look cold.
He has two deputies. The other one doesn't get involved, but this one named Zhao is always trying to compete with him secretly.
When it comes to him and Zhao Helin's position, it's not something he can replace just because he doesn't like the other person, especially since Zhao Helin has been quite interested in the prince in the past two years...
"I was really surprised by the commotion today. In the past, it was our Jinlin Guard who arrested and interrogated others, but I didn't expect that they would arrest one of our own now."
Cheng Maoming clenched his fists as he looked at his deputy who had ulterior motives in his words.
If I punch Mr. Zhao and break his nose, will the emperor be angry?
Thinking about the two criminals he had not favored, Cheng Maoming regained his composure.
He sneered, "Those who are loyal to their duties and wholeheartedly work for the Emperor are his own people. Those who act in the opposite direction are treacherous spies. Zhao Tongzhi's understanding of 'his own people' is too one-sided."
Zhao Helin showed a concerned expression: "Does our Jinlin Guard have a spy? Have we found that person?"
Cheng Maoming choked.
If he found it, would he stand here and listen to this bastard's sarcastic remarks?
He could even say that this traitor was most likely arranged by someone named Zhao.
A Jinlin Guard came over and said, "Grand Commander, Prince Jing has told me to tell you that he wants to go back with Master Cheng."
Cheng Maoming frowned and thought for a moment, then strode towards the flower hall where the two were to be entertained.
He had already invited a poison doctor to examine the bamboo sticks used in the execution. He couldn't help but feel curious and suspicious about Prince Jing's ability to recognize the poison. Of course, due to his status, he couldn't use the same interrogation methods he would use on ordinary people, because he had to be polite since he had helped.
In fact, Cheng Maoming's suspicion of Qi Shuo was not deep; this suspicion was more out of caution.
He took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around: "Why is Zhao Tongzhi following me?"
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